Old Carbon...?

[srusso]

Quick question, could spent carbon from the filter be used as a substrate fertilizer? This all came to me when I heard that plants are made of mostly water and carbon... In theory couldn't the plants benefit from a little put into the substrate?! :o

[zamboniMan]

I think they would be very slow to break it down but it might be useful. Try it!

Josh

[dbfzurowski]

Doesnt carbon start releasing stuff back into water at some point? I dont think that would be beneficial for fish. Could be wrong

[srusso]

Keep it coming, although I don't know that it would any different then the water being filtered through it, no?

[daboo]

Quick question, could spent carbon from the filter be used as a substrate fertilizer? This all came to me when I heard that plants are made of mostly water and carbon... In theory couldn't the plants benefit from a little put into the substrate?! :o

Carbon filters are just that - only carbon. Plants cannot use it in this form. Plants can use carbon dioxide (or dissolved as bicarbonate) and various simple organic compounds which always have hydrogen atoms bonded to carbon atoms. Carbon filters are very different chemically and not compatible with life processes.